Back in mid-August on a weekday when we stole a few hours for ourselves, Mom, Willow and I explored the Irvine Creek. We took the stone stairs in Victoria Park and wandered up and down the creek bed, exploring the caves and enjoying the cool water rushing over our feet. It's a very pleasant way to spend a hot afternoon!
In the water stand two pillars and we wondered what they were for... well, it turns out there used to be a footbridge! Above is a picture of the David Street bridge today and you can just see it in the background of this 1920s image.
I had come across this photo somewhere but it's too unclear to figure out the specific location...
and then I found this image in the Wellington County History Volume 15, 2002 issue! Wow! The text reads "Downstream from Elora's David Street bridge,and until its destruction by Hurricane Hazel in 1954, there was once a footbridge across the floor of the gorge. The earliest version dated back to the 1880s, when Elora made its first serious attempts to cash in on the tourist trade. The final version of the footbridge sat on a pair of heavy concrete piers that carried the walkway 12 feet above the floor of the gorge. Stairs at one time descended both sides of the gorge." (page 62)
Now we can't wait for better weather so we can explore and figure out where the other set of stairs used to be!
This gorgeous root is near the base of the David Street bridge.
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